FAQ
Practical Information
How do I book tickets?
You can book tickets in many ways, view our How to Book page.
Is there a car park at the Theatre?
Yes - there is a large public car park next door to the Theatre. It does not belong to the Theatre and costs approx £1.80 to park for the whole day. It is free after 5pm Monday-Friday and after 4pm on Saturdays. It does get extremely busy on matinee days, so please allow enough time to park before a matinee show. We are unable to reserve parking spaces.
Do you get return tickets for sold out shows?
Yes we do get return tickets but we do not know when or if we will get them. The best way to find out is to call the Box Office on the day of the show, or, if you live locally you could queue for returns just before the performance. The Box Office will always advise you on the best procedure for each individual show.
Where is the Minerva Theatre situated?
The Minerva is situated on the same site as the Festival Theatre. All signposts through Chichester indicate the Chichester Festival Theatre, on a brown sign with a theatre mask. See the How to Get Here page for further details.
Do you have a Taxi Rank outside the Theatre?
No - but you can order a taxi from the theatre using the public telephone in the foyer which has local taxi numbers listed.
What time does the Box Office open?
The Box Office is open from 10am-8pm Monday- Saturday. When there is a Sunday performance it is open from approx 2 hours before. When there is no show the Box Office closes at 6pm.
General Information
Are there any pillars in the Theatre?
No - the Theatre is shaped like a horseshoe, and you are able to see from all seats.
How many seats are there in both Theatres?
The Festival Theatre can hold 1206 at full capacity and the Minerva holds 283 at full capacity.
When did the Theatre first open?
The Festival Theatre opened in 1962 – it was joined by the Minerva in 1989.
What is the statue of outside the Festival Theatre?
It is of Spartacus, by Tom Merrifield.
Do you sell Gift Vouchers?
Yes, we sell two different types of vouchers. Chichester Festival Theatre gift vouchers are valid for one year and can be used to purchase tickets at both the Festival and Minerva Theatres. These vouchers can be for any value, so you can choose what you wish to spend. You can purchase these from the Box Office on 01243 781312.
We also sell and accept the society of West End theatre tokens. These are valid indefinately, and are in denominations of £1, £5, £10 and £20. They can be used to purchase tickets here at Chichester, but also at many theatres across the Country, including the West End (full list of participating theatres can be found at www.theatretokens.com). To purchase these vouchers, please call the Tokenline on 0870 1648800.
Online Booking
I've not booked online before - What do I do?
Take a look at our Newcomer's Guide with a special section on booking online for the first time. Click here to find out more
I'm worried about the security of my personal details online. What are your procedures?
We are committed to protecting your privacy online and to this end have developed a Privacy Policy to deal with issues which may concern you.
Click here to find out more.
I'm a Friend. How do I register to access priority online?
We've created a simple guide to lead you through the process - click here to read it now. You only need to do this once so if you've already registered go straight ahead and enter your email and password to book.
Access
Are there disabled parking spaces?
There are 9 disabled car parking spaces in the public car park. We are not permitted to have any cars parked outside the Theatres during a performance.
Do you have any facilities for children?
We do not have a crèche or nursery facility at the Theatre, but we do encourage children to attend appropriate performances.
Do you have a lift in the Theatre?
Yes - we have a lift in both the Festival Theatre and the Minerva Theatre.
Do you have a loop system?
We have a loop system in place at the Box Office, but within the Theatres we use the Seinheiser Listening units which are available free of charge from the Theatre Shop before the performance. They amplify the sound on the stage but cannot be used in conjunction with a hearing aid.
Food & Drink
Is there a picnic area at the Theatre?
There is not a dedicated picnic area but we are situated on the edge of a park, with benches in the surrounding area. There are also tables and chairs provided outside the theatre during the summer season.
How many Restaurants are there? Can we book tables through the Box Office?
Our restaurant now has new management and a new name, the Brasserie in The Park, for more information click here to go to our food and drink pages.
What time do the bars open?
The bars in the Festival Theatre foyer open approximately 45 minutes before a performance.
Can we pre-order interval drinks?
Yes you can order them from the coffee bar in the Festival Theatre foyer and the upstairs bar in the Minerva Theatre.